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DHL WP hold off Boland at DHL Newlands

DHL Western Province claimed a 23-21 victory against Boland in their SuperSport Rugby Challenge Cape derby at DHL Newlands on Saturday.

Having dominated the first half, DHL Western Province let Boland back into the game in the second half, but ultimately did enough to make it three consecutive wins this season.

The home side started with some serious intent, taking the game to Boland in the early stages and forcing the visitors to defend.

A powerful scrum in the Boland 22 was followed by a number of phases hammering away at the defnece until scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies found a way through for the first try.

That was followed up by a penalty from flyhalf Josh Stander before Jantjies made it a double as he was put over by Tristan Leyds, who had burst through the defensive line on halfway.

DHL Western Province were reduced to 14 men just before half-time when prop Alistair Vermaak was shown a yellow card for an incident off the ball, but that did not stop them from taking a 15-0 lead into the break.

Boland opened their account early in the second half, with flank Ludio Williams getting over for a try to cap an extended period of pressure in which the 14-man DHL Western Province defence showed plenty of fight.

DHL Western Province responded with their third try as both wings combined well, with Duncan Saal drawing a defender to put Edwill van der Merwe over the whitewash.

Boland hit back with a try from scrumhalf Jovelian de Koker, which cut DHL Western Province’s lead to 20-14 with 20 minutes left to play.

The visitors took the lead for the first time in the game when wing Valentino Wellman found some space down the left to score under the poles and make it 21-20 with seven minutes left.

However, a late penalty from Stander would seal a tense win for the home side and keep their unbeaten SuperSport Rugby Challenge run going.